11Bloomberg Businessweek � Governance November 4, 2019PHOTOGRAPHBYSHIHOFUKADAFORBLOOMBERGBUSINESSWEEKKI-Star Real Estate Co., north of Tokyo
in Saitama prefecture, used to outsource
construction work, but labor shortages
drove prices too high. In 2013 the devel-
oper started bringing in carpenters from
Vietnam, where labor is much cheaper.
Van Linh Nguyen, a tool repair-
man from Hanoi, was the first hire.
The 32-year-old now manages a crew of
46 Vietnamese men. “I want him to join
management,” says Mamoru Sonobe, the
head of KI’s construction business.
That idea is more plausible now that
Japan has cracked open a path to perma-
nent residency. Nguyen has a visa that lets
him work in the country for the next five
years. (He may later be able to convert
it into one that lets him settle.) He spoke
with Bloomberg Businessweek at a KI
office near its headquarters. Excerpts,
translated from Japanese:“Eighty percent of
me wants to stay. ...
It’s easy here, it’s
convenient”Van Linh Nguyen
Left Vietnam for a construction
job in Japan“
When I finished high school, I
went to a trade school in Hanoi,
learning how to fix tools. My teacher
got me a job at a repair shop. I slept in a
little loft above the store. I worked hard
at the job for about two years, but when
I asked for a raise, my boss ignored me.
I started to feel restless.
I didn’t know anything about Japan.
But my friend had worked for Suzuki
in a town near Mount Fuji. He said
he made 130,000 yen [about $1,200] a
month, which was more than 10 times
what I made. My friend told me if I
wanted to try working in a foreign
country, there were a lot of choices.
You could go to Taiwan or South Korea,
but Japan paid the best.
I applied to a temp agency that pro-
motes international exchange. I paid
them 1.5 million yen for Japanese classes
and getting to Japan. I borrowed the
money from my parents’ brothers and
sisters and from the bank. It was the
biggest investment the family had ever
made and took me two years to pay back.
I was really scared when I joined KI.
I was alone, with just Japanese people
around me. I could hardly understand
or speak the language. But I worked
with them every day, and they were
nice to me.
I started by learning how to read
blueprints. I’d translate all the words
into Vietnamese, put them in a note-
book, and memorize them. After about
five months of studying in the office, I
started to work on job sites. People had
to show me everything. Now, except
for concrete work, I can basically do
anything it takes to build a house. I’ve
built about 50 so far.
One of our clients is a Vietnamese
engineer who’s been here a long time. I
didn’t know we were building the house
for a Vietnamese guy. I went by the job
site and realized who the buyer was. I
want that to be me someday.
The president is always saying,
‘Keep going, we want you to become a
permanent resident and stay with the
company.’ Eighty percent of me wants
to stay in Japan. It’s easy here, it’s
convenient. There are hospitals, conve-
nience stores, the roads are safe.
There’s no crime.
”11Bloomberg Businessweek � Governance November 4, 2019PHOTOGRAPH
BY
SHIHO
FUKADA
FOR
BLOOMBERG
BUSINESSWEEK
KI-Star Real Estate Co., north of Tokyo
in Saitama prefecture, used to outsource
construction work, but labor shortages
drove prices too high. In 2013 the devel-
oper started bringing in carpenters from
Vietnam, where labor is much cheaper.
Van Linh Nguyen, a tool repair-
man from Hanoi, was the first hire.
The 32-year-old now manages a crew of
46 Vietnamese men. “I want him to join
management,” says Mamoru Sonobe, the
head of KI’s construction business.
That idea is more plausible now that
Japan has cracked open a path to perma-
nent residency. Nguyen has a visa that lets
him work in the country for the next five
years. (He may later be able to convert
it into one that lets him settle.) He spoke
with Bloomberg Businessweek at a KI
office near its headquarters. Excerpts,
translated from Japanese:“Eighty percent of
me wants to stay. ...
It’s easy here, it’s
convenient”Van Linh Nguyen
Left Vietnam for a construction
job in Japan“
When I finished high school, I
went to a trade school in Hanoi,
learninghowtofixtools.Myteacher
gotmea jobata repairshop.I sleptina
little loft above the store. I worked hard
at the job for about two years, but when
I asked for a raise, my boss ignored me.
I started to feel restless.
I didn’t know anything about Japan.
ButmyfriendhadworkedforSuzuki
ina townnearMount Fuji.Hesaid
hemade130,000yen[about$1,200]a
month,whichwasmorethan 10 times
what I made. My friend told me if I
wanted to try working in a foreign
country, there were a lot of choices.
You could go to Taiwan or South Korea,
but Japan paid the best.
I appliedtoa tempagencythatpro-
motesinternationalexchange.I paid
them1.5million yen for Japanese classes
and getting to Japan. I borrowed the
money from my parents’ brothers and
sisters and from the bank. It was the
biggest investment the family had ever
made and took me two years to pay back.
I was really scared when I joined KI.
I was alone, with just Japanese people
around me. I could hardly understand
or speak the language. But I worked
with them every day, and they were
nice to me.
I started by learning how to read
blueprints. I’d translate all the words
into Vietnamese, put them in a note-
book, and memorize them. After about
fivemonthsofstudyingintheoffice,I
startedtoworkonjobsites.Peoplehad
toshowmeeverything.Now,except
for concrete work, I can basically do
anything it takes to build a house. I’ve
builtabout 50 sofar.
Oneofourclientsisa Vietnamese
engineer who’s been here a long time. I
didn’t know we were building the house
for a Vietnamese guy. I went by the job
site and realized who the buyer was. I
want that to be me someday.
The president is always saying,
‘Keep going, we want you to become a
permanent resident and stay with the
company.’ Eighty percent of me wants
to stay in Japan. It’s easy here, it’s
convenient. There are hospitals, conve-
nience stores, the roads are safe.
There’s no crime.
”